Canterbury look set to snare the signing of Penrith forward Viliame Kikau.
The powerful forward will see out the 2022 season at Penrith before joining the Bulldogs in 2023.
The Panthers were somewhat confident they’d keep Kikau but knew they’d be unlikely to match big money offers from rival clubs.
It’s understood St George-Illawarra were also in the race for the 26-year-old.
While the deal is yet to be finalised, it’s understood it’s all but done and Canterbury will announce the signing in the coming weeks.
Should Canterbury’s footy boss Phil Gould pull off the move, it will free up significant salary cap space for Penrith and potentially allow the smoother re-signing of hooker Api Koroisau and fullback Dylan Edwards, who are both off-contract at the end of next year.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.